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A few Calgary Flames notes on this off-day:
1) I really like Mikael Backlund. He is awesome defensively, he’s an underrated playmaker, and he generates chances. There is only one problem: they’re not going in for him. At all. I think last night’s game was an epitome of the season as a whole. Backlund generated five chances (three high-danger) at 5v5, bested by nobody on the ice. Nothing came of it.
This season 191 forwards have logged at least 600 minutes of ice at 5v5. None of them have scored fewer times than Backlund. None. Backlund is tied with Joe Thornton and Milan Lucic (yikes) with one goal. There is no excuse for that. I mean, Marcus Sorensen has five. Michael Amadio has six. Teddy Blueger has seven.
With Calgary’s bottom-6 almost completely useless offensively, they must have all the top-6ers filling the net. Backlund isn’t and it’s a problem.
2) Geoff Ward’s minutes distribution for Game 1 of life without Mark Giordano:
Rasmus Andersson -- 24:39
T.J. Brodie -- 24:16
Noah Hanifin -- 23:30
Travis Hamonic -- 21:28
Michael Stone -- 12:25
Brandon Davidson -- 10:42
It’s pretty clear Ward doesn’t have much trust in the bottom pairing and, honestly, it’s hard to blame him. Nashville is hardly an offensive powerhouse firing on all cylinders and they still caved in Calgary with P3 on the ice (36.63 xGF%).
Giordano is probably going to miss 2-3 weeks, if not more, and the Flames sit 18th in points percentage. There is no margin for error right now. Couple that with the fact each of the next six games are played within the conference (five of those within the division) and I don’t see how Ward is going to be able to ease off on the top-4.
Pierre LeBrun pitched the idea of Calgary actually adding more depth to the blueline. If GM Brad Treliving can get something done at an affordable cost, I think he just might do it – especially if Giordano is going to miss considerable time.
I’m not sure how long the Flames can go on with the 3rd pairing playing 10-12 minutes a night, and it's not like they can handle more.
3) Detroit. Los Angeles. Ottawa. New Jersey. Anaheim. San Jose. Those are the only teams in the NHL with worse goal differentials than the Calgary Flames.
I know they’re holding onto a playoff spot right now (barely) but it’s becoming increasingly clear they’re probably closer to some of the teams in the aforementioned group than Tampa Bay, Boston, St. Louis, Colorado and the league’s top contenders.
I mean, the Flames have mostly had excellent goaltending and dealt with very few injuries to key players. It’s not like it’s easy to justify such underwhelming results, or looking so poor (at times) by the eye. They’re just not good enough.
With each passing game, I’m becoming more of the mind Calgary should only trade assets of any quality if the player they’re getting back has term (or the Flames are *very* confident an extension can be worked out).
As much as I think a player like Tyler Toffoli, for example, would help, the Flames wouldn’t instantly become a Cup contender with his presence. A better bet to make the playoffs? Absolutely. Anything close to favorites against a team like Colorado, St. Louis or even Vegas? Absolutely not.
If the Flames don’t think Toffoli could be re-signed, they shouldn’t be trading meaningful pieces for him. The same can be said of any other scoring wingers or defenders on the market.
Simply put, this is not the team to go all-in on. If Treliving does, he’s only taking away assets from his warchest that could be used to aid in what appears to be necessary roster surgery.
Numbers via NaturalStatTrick.com
Recent posts:
Flames lose Mark Giordano for key stretch of games
Calgary’s three stars of the month for January
Five potential trade targets for the Flames
Four Flames questions as they enter the stretch run
Flames sign Rasmus Andersson to long-term extension
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